קולטור

Cooking Outside of the Kitchen

When Moby and Nomi prepare to cook in this lesson’s movie, Moby puts on an apron with the words קאָכט זיך נישט — meaning, in a literal sense, “Don’t cook (as in a pot of food cooking on the stove)!” However, although the phrase includes the verb קאָכן — to cook — this expression doesn’t really have to do with cooking. “קאָכט זיך נישט” as an expression actually means “remain calm,” “don’t get upset,” and “have patience”—⁠good advice in and out of the kitchen.

The verb קאָכן is used in other colorful expressions as well, teaching us that in Yiddish, “cooking” has many meanings and nuances:

That’s the way it’s supposed to be done! (Literally “That how the noodles are cooked!”)

Actions speak louder than words. (Literally “You can’t cook supper from telling stories.”)

פֿאַרקאָכן אַ קאַשע
make a mess of things (Literally “to cook a porridge”)

It’s the talk of the town. (Literally “The city is cooking/boiling”)

of a nosy person (Literally “He wants to know what’s cooking in someone else’s pot.”)

זײַן פֿאַרקאָכט אין עמעצן
to be infatuated with someone (Literally “to be cooked in someone”)

זײַן אויסגעקאָכט מיט עמעצן
to be on intimate terms with someone (Literally “to be cooked with someone”).

אַרומגיין ווי אַן אָפּגעקאָכטער
to look offended, humilated (Literally “To go around like one upon whom boiling water has been poured”)

אַ קאָכלעפֿל
a busybody, one who is always trying to meddle in other people’s business (Literally “a cooking spoon”)